THE INCREASE OF WICKEDNESS AND THE CHURCH'S RIGHTEOUS RESPONSE INTRODUCTION The Bible prophesies that the nations of the earth would rise up in anger against Jesus leadership while seeking to remove the influence of His Word from society. Today many rulers and leaders in society economic, educational, sports, media and military, etc. are resisting Jesus and His Word. An unholy agenda is accelerating, as many attack God s commands and seek to remove His moral boundaries from society, including the sanctity of life, marriage, and sexuality. "Why do the nations rage, and the people plot a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and against His Anointed, saying, Let us break their bonds in pieces and cast away their cords from us. Psalm 2:1-3 I. RIGHTEOUSNESS AND SIN WILL MATURE TO FULLNESS A. Before Jesus returns, both godliness and wickedness will reach their greatest heights in history, resulting in a falling away from the faith (Mt. 24:9-13; 2 Thes. 2:3; 1 Tim. 4:1-2; 2 Tim. 3:1-7; 4:3-5). Thus, both light and darkness will increase at the same time (Isa. 60:1; Mt. 13:30, 39). And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors have reached their fullness, a king shall arise, having fierce features, Who understands sinister schemes. Daniel 8:23 Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. 1 Timothy 4:1-3 B. Jesus gave more warnings about deception in the end times than about tribulation. The massive deception in the nations will lead to the great falling away both Jesus and Paul prophesied about. (Mt. 24:4-5, 11, 24; Mk. 13:5-6, 22; Lk. 21:8; 2 Thes. 2:3; 1 Tim. 4:1).
And Jesus answered and said to them: Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, I am the Christ, and will deceive many. Matthew 24:4-5 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition. 2 Thessalonians 2:3 C. Rage will begin to escalate as leaders begin voicing their opinions concerning the beliefs and stance of the church on several issues. The people of the nations will begin to war against God using hate crimes, prison, and death against the Church. Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name s sake. And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. Matthew 24:9-11 II. GOD'S GIFT TO OHOP IS THE WISDOM OF FIVE CORE VALUES These five core values were given to the OHOP Community from an encounter I had on May 8th, 2005. That encounter is what eventually gave birth to what we now know as the "Orlando House of Prayer" (OHOP). At about 4:00 am on May 8th, 2005, I was encountered by an Angel. I vividly recall my spirit- man coming out of my body and I could feel as if someone was holding/cradling me. As I was taken to Heaven, I was allowed to hear a conversation that Jesus and the Father were having; it was a conversation that shook me and violently altered my/our ministry for the rest of my life. The conversation with the Godhead dealt with the key values that was to mark my life and of those who would choose to embrace the mandate upon OHOP as an End-Time lovesick group of believers who would say YES to the Bridal Paradigm and to Night and Day Prayer. A. Five Core Values given to OHOP 1. Intimacy with God And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. This is the first commandment. Mark 12:30 2. Kingdom of God Lifestyle Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:19-20
3. End-Time Urgency But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they say, Peace and safety! then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. But you, brethren are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. 1 Thessalonians 5:1-4 4. The Power of the Holy Spirit And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your young men shall see visions, Your old men shall dream dreams. Acts 2:17 5. Intercession - Praying God's Will Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart...and shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? Luke 18:1, 7 B. These five core values have progressively led us into more prayer and worship as a community. From 10 hours weekly in September 2005 until today where we currently are conducting 168 hours weekly of live prayer/worship. The OHOP Prayer Room does not close by the grace of God. C. OHOP has grown in her understanding of her identity before God. OHOP is called by God as His "House of Prayer" which is the identity of every individual believer and the corporate church of Jesus. And He said to them, It is written, My house shall be called a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves. Matthew 21:13
III. A RETURN TO 2 CHRONICLES 7:14 IS THE ONLY ACCEPTABLE RESPONSE NEEDED If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14 A. The church is CALLED by God's Name. B. The church's authority is rooted in HUMILITY. C. The church has been commissioned to PRAY. D. The church's eternal privilege is its invitation to SEEK the Lord's face. E. The church's favor from God is linked to her TURNING AWAY from compromise. F. The church's assurance that God will HEAR our prayers after we comply with His will. G. The church's prayer will HEAL the land as we take our place as intercessors and His House of Prayer. IV. CORPORATE PRAYER IS GOD'S STRATEGY TO AVERT NATIONAL JUDGEMENT A. In Joel chapters 1-2 the prophet Joel was used by the Lord to trumpet the coming judgments upon His people due to their continual backsliding heart. Idolatry and injustice was the rule of life that corroded the moral fiber of the nation. Joel raised his voiced and challenged the nation to repent and turn to God with fasting and prayer. Who knows if He will turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind Him a grain offering and a drink offering for the LORD your God? Blow the trumpet in Zion, Consecrate a fast, Call a sacred assembly; Gather the people, Sanctify the congregation, Assemble the elders, Gather the children and nursing babes; Let the bridegroom go out from his chamber, And the bride from her dressing room. Joel 2:14-16 B. It is possible for the righteous to escape God's wrath when He judges a nation for their continual disobedience. That doesn't mean they will not suffer any hardship consequences for the sins of their nation, but it does mean that God will show mercy upon His people in the midst of judgment. Like Noah, Lot and Israel who were divinely protected from divine judgment, the believer can experience a measure of protection from God's anger. As the righteous seek The Lord for mercy, they not only are divinely protected from God's wrath but their prayers can hold back God's hand from greater judgments being released upon their nation.
Before the decree is issued, or the day passes like chaff, Before the Lord s fierce anger comes upon you, before the day of the Lord s anger comes upon you! Seek the Lord, all you meek of the earth, who have upheld His justice. Seek righteousness, seek humility. It may be that you will be hidden in the day of the Lord s anger. Zephaniah 2:2-3 C. The church can play a redemptive role for the nation by simply fulfilling her priestly role in the place of intercession. Throughout Scripture, incense is symbolic of prayers coming before the presence of God that bring Him great pleasure. It was a mixture of gums or spices used for the purpose of producing a perfume when burned, or the perfume itself of the spices, etc. burned in worship. The incense employed in the service of the tabernacle walls compounded of the perfumes stacte, onycha, galbanum and pure frankincense. It was said to be a sweet smelling aroma to The Lord. So Moses said to Aaron, Take a censer and put fire in it from the altar, put incense on it, and take it quickly to the congregation and make atonement for them; for wrath has gone out from the Lord. The plague has begun. Then Aaron took it as Moses commanded, and ran into the midst of the assembly; and already the plague had begun among the people. So he put in the incense and made atonement for the people. And he stood between the dead and the living; so the plague was stopped. Numbers 16:46-48